Tick bites factsheet
Introduction
Ticks are common parasites found in humid, wet environments like forests and bushlands. Parasites are animals that feed off other living things, like humans and animals. Ticks feed on blood and can stay attached for days if not noticed.
They wait on grass, twigs, or leaves for an animal or human to pass by, then use their teeth to bite and bury themselves in the skin.
When ticks bite, they release saliva or spit into your bloodstream, which:
- numbs the skin
- prevents blood from clotting
- keeps blood flowing by opening up blood vessels
- reduces inflammation
- helps the tick stay hidden from the immune system.
Tick saliva can also:
- carry diseases
- cause paralysis - difficulty moving
- trigger severe allergic reactions
- cause other allergies to develop.
聽Signs and symptoms
Tick bites can be painless at first, and you may only notice a tick as it gets bigger from feeding.
Tick paralysis
Tick paralysis is a condition that can affect children who are bitten by ticks.
Symptoms of tick paralysis include:
- weak legs
- unsteady walking
- loss of movement in the face and muscles
- blurry vision
- tiredness
- slurred speech.
Anaphylaxis and tick bites
Some children can have a severe allergic reaction to tick bites, called anaphylaxis. This is called anaphylaxis.
Signs of anaphylaxis include:
- wheezing, difficult, or noisy breathing
- swelling of the tongue
- swelling or tightness in the throat
- a persistent cough
- difficulty talking or a hoarse voice
- dizziness
- becoming pale and floppy in young children
- collapsing.
Children at risk of anaphylaxis may also vomit.
If your child has signs of anaphylaxis, you should:
- follow your child鈥檚 ASCIA action plan for anaphylaxis if you have one
- use an EpiPen庐 or Anapen庐, if there is one available
- call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.
Diagnosis
Most tick bites can be treated at home and do not need a doctor.
If your child has an allergic reaction, they will need to see a specialist, like an allergist, for testing and treatment.
Speak to the NSW Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 or your local doctor for more information.
Treatment
Tick bites are treated by safely removing the tick as soon as possible. The longer a tick is attached and feeding, the higher the risk of allergies and anaphylaxis.
First aid for tick bites will depend on whether your child has ever been allergic to ticks.
Children who are not allergic to ticks
Do not pull or disturb the tick. Using tools like tweezers can make the tick release more saliva or cause infections if part of the tick is left in the skin.
Kill the tick first using products that contain ether or 5% permethrin. These products are available at most pharmacies and include:
- sprays for freezing and killing ticks
- wart-freezing sprays
- creams with 5% permethrin, often used for scabies.
It can take up to 10 minutes for the tick to die after spraying or applying cream. Once it鈥檚 dead, you can gently brush it away.
Wash the area with soap and water, then apply antiseptic cream if available.
If you can鈥檛 kill or remove the tick safely, see a doctor or go to the emergency department. Call the NSW Poisons Information Centre at 13 11 26 for further advice.
Children who are allergic to ticks
Children who are allergic to ticks or show signs of an allergy to ticks for the first time need urgent medical treatment.
If your child has a tick allergy and has been bitten by a tick, you should:
- follow your child鈥檚 ASCIA action plan for anaphylaxis if you have one
- use an EpiPen庐 or Anapen庐, if there is one available
- call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.
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Mammalian meat allergy
Mammalian meat allergy (MMA) is a severe allergy that can develop after a tick bite.
MMA is an allergic reaction to meat and products like milk, fat and gelatin from mammals.
Mammals are any animals that make milk to feed their young. This includes common animals used for food, like:
- cows, including beef
- pigs, including ham, bacon and pork
- lamb and mutton or sheep
- deer or venison
- kangaroo
- goat
- buffalo
- rabbit.
MMA can develop weeks after a tick bite.
MMA symptoms can appear 4 to 6 hours after eating mammal products and may include:
- stomach pain or cramps
- nausea and vomiting
- diarrhoea
- runny nose.
Children who develop MMA are at a higher risk for anaphylaxis.
Signs of anaphylaxis include:
- wheezing, difficult, or noisy breathing
- swelling of the tongue
- swelling or tightness in the throat
- a persistent cough
- difficulty talking or a hoarse voice
- dizziness
- becoming pale and floppy in young children
- collapsing.
If your child has signs of anaphylaxis, you should:
- follow your child鈥檚 ASCIA action plan for anaphylaxis if you have one
- use an EpiPen庐 or Anapen庐, if there is one available
- call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.
See your local doctor as soon as possible if your child is showing signs of MMA after a tick bite.
MMA should be diagnosed and managed by a specialist doctor.
Lowering the risk of tick bites
To lower the risk of tick bites in areas where there are ticks:
- dress your child in long sleeves, long pants, and long socks
- tuck pants into socks
- check your child鈥檚 skin and hair after outdoor activities, especially around the ears and neck
- carry a tick or wart-freezing spray
- avoid forests, bushlands, and long grass after rain
- use child-safe insect repellents containing up to 10% deet
- spray clothes with permethrin before and after outdoor activities
- put clothes in a hot dryer for 20 minutes after being outside.
When to see your doctor
See a doctor or go to the emergency department if your child develops any of these symptoms after a tick bite:
- rashes or swelling
- hot skin
- a bite that won鈥檛 heal
- fever or tiredness
- weakness or difficulty breathing
- unusual sweating, especially at night.
